You want an early reading on the Raptors? Get out your blue pencils, because this is the time. The Bucks and the 76ers went to the Eastern final of last spring's playoff tournament, and are the class of the crop. The Pistons and the Celtics are just the sort of hungry, yet-to-be-slapped-down Eastern teams that have their best days well in front of them. So far, the Raptors are oh-for-two and spiralling in this four-game set, and someone asked Lenny Wilkens about a wakeup call.

"A wakeup call should be every morning," he grumbled.

Karl hasn't had much time to get a fix on his club, aside from figuring they're far from where they want to be. Which makes two of them, the Raptors also in full searching mode.

Antonio Davis is fighting the ball - he looked far more comfortable playing centre again, by the way, and at least never stopped playing hard - and Alvin Williams has gone missing in action. Morris Peterson is floating so much it looks as if he's auditioning for a spot in the Santa Claus Parade. Hakeem Olajuwon? If he turned back the clock on Tuesday in that 20-rebound, 43-minute night, it was one of those Dorian Gray kind of performances, because last night he just wasn't there - and no wonder Wilkens didn't let him see the floor in the second half.

"About the only thing we have going for us is that it's early," assessed Tracy Murray.

Sure, it's early. And these Raptors are arriving late. The early reading on them is here, and it's not particularly good.